Packing Operatives

As per GOV.UK, the National Living Wage for packing job workers aged 21 and over is £12.80 per hour from April 2026. Workers aged 18-20 receive £10.50 per hour and those under 18 receive £7.55 per hour with no exceptions for entry-level packing roles. Overtime must be paid at the same minimum rate for hours above 40 per week.

As per GOV.UK, the average working week for packing jobs is capped at 48 hours including overtime unless you opt out in writing. Employers must provide at least 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave per year for full-time packing staff equating to 28 days including bank holidays. Night shift packing roles require additional health assessments every 2 years.

As per GOV.UK, applicants must provide a valid passport or birth certificate, National Insurance number, and proof of address dated within 3 months. Right to work documents such as a UK visa or settled status share code are mandatory for all packing positions even for UK citizens.

As per HMRC, the default tax code for packing job employees is 1257L allowing £12,570 of tax-free earnings in the 2026/27 tax year. Packing workers earning under £50,270 pay 20% income tax on amounts above the personal allowance with 8% National Insurance deducted from weekly pay above £242.